Acupuncture - is it a load of crap?

[notnowImreading]

Closed mind alert: I am pretty definitely anti-complementary-medicine. I think homeopathy is witchcraft and reiki is voodoo und so weiter. HOWEVER, I'm also just not getting pregnant and am sad about it. A friend recommended acupuncture and I scoffed rudely, but am just wondering whether it would do no harm. At least if they're sticking needles in you they're actually doing something rather than feeding you water pills or magic beans. Is it all bullshit? And what dies it actually feel like?

[notnowImreading]

does

[mycatsaysach]

i had it for bad back - didn't hurt but made no difference

if you are scared about needles i would imagine it would be a bit stressful

[eurochick]

Hmm, well I am a sceptic but gave it a go for the first time for ttc.

It feels like someone sticking fine needles in you. Just what you would expect really. Like waxing, it hurts more at certain times of the month.

I went for about a year (a couple of times a month) and I do feel that it made a difference to my cycle. Over the first few months, my periods got more regular and my flow (TMI alert) got a lot less clotty and my bleed time got shorter. However, I didn't get pregnant.

A friend keeps recommending reflexology to me but that seems even more woo. I am still debating whether or not to give it a go. She went and got pregnant the first month. But I can't quite bring myself to make the appointment.

[clickingtock]

Doesn't hurt apart from the occasional twang and you can tell the acupuncturist to do something about that - politely, of course . Actually v relaxing if you find the right practitioner/environment.

I have a long story. Shortish version: TTC2 for about a year when we discovered DP was low fertility (even though DS was conceived v easily in 2009). Lowest stat = 4% rapid progressive sperm which should be more like 25% to be ok. Packed DP off for weekly acupuncture, Chinese herbs and took away his red wine (poor bloke). 12 weeks later I got my BFP. They say it takes 90s for sperm to develop in the body before it's released - almost exactly the amount of time that it took for our BFP. And btw we were doing everything to conceive for a total of around 15-16 months before got there....

DP retested semen just after we had conceived. 4% had gone up to 54%....

I'll leave those stats with you to think about. DP was skeptical too but he was willing to give anything a go just to shut me up

I am now having weekly needles to stay pg. I had a great pg last time and used acupuncture throughout. Had v peaceful homebirth and would say acupuncture played a part in this.

GOOD luck. Prolonged TTC is upsetting.

[clickingtock]

90 days for the sperm to be made, sorry, not 90s!

[PavlovtheCat]

I had acupuncture to relieve hyperemesis symptoms, and it helped for about 4 days. I could not afford to keep going back. I had acupuncture to relieve sciatic pain, and it did not work, but have heard a lot of people saying it helped.

It did not hurt. one of the needles nagged a bit, but thats all. just a slight pressure at the site of entry on a couple, nothing on others.

It has been used for centuries, so I truly believe that it does work for lots of things. I do not know about fertility but it cannot hurt, and I mean literally too, it is worth a go, even if sceptical, what do you have to lose other than a few pounds, but then, lots of other medical support can cost money too.

[notnowImreading]

I quite fancy reflexology, as long as the wizard practitioner just rubs my feet and doesn't talk to me about it.

[Pollykitten]

There is some evidence for acupuncture for pain relief. In terms of ttc there are people who think that it might help blood flow to the uterus, which could then potentially improve outcomes - but no evidence for this currently. Whatever else you do, I guess just make sure you have had a full MOT in terms of conventional medicine too.

[notnowImreading]

Yeah - conventionally testing up to the eyeballs and following the western medicine yellow brick road. Just considering the other stuff too, which I never thought I would ever, ever do.

[Pollykitten]

have you seen the Israeli study about laughing? I'll see if I can find the link...

[Pollykitten]

www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jan/13/pregnancy-ivf-comedy-laughter-clown

I bought myself the Michael McIntyre box set for my next embryo transfer....

[queenrollo]

I am a believer in some complimentary medicine (but not all of it). I've had one acupuncture session prior to having surgery to correct a blocked tube and am now booked in for more sessions.
It doesn't hurt if you have a good practitioner (i had a bad one previously so did a lot of research before finding the guy I go to now) but you can 'feel' it working, at least I can.
My practitioner also gives me a massage while the needles are in and I think if nothing else I am having some 'me' time which is helping me to stay relaxed and calm. After two and half years of TTC with no success (one chemical pregnancy at the beginning of this year) I found I was finding it all hard to deal with. Stress is a known factor in inhibiting conception and so the fact that this is helping me to relax is the main reason that I'm having the sessions.